Guide to Windows Update, ISOs, and more
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Windows 11 is here and it brings with it a lot of questions. Windows upgrades aren’t usually nonsense, but Windows 11 has brought with it a higher standard for hardware compatibility. This means that the actual installation of the Windows 11 update, although free like the Windows 10 update, is a little more difficult. There is some flexibility in hardware requirements, however, even though you may not have a system that looks suitable on paper. Here is our full guide on how to install Windows 11 now.
See also: Everything you need to know about Windows 11
System requirements for Windows 11: Will my PC run Windows 11?
Windows 11 has stricter minimum eligibility requirements than Windows 10. Microsoft has updated the Windows 11 system requirements a few times and will likely give them a little more flexibility. It won’t stop you from manually installing Windows 11 on older systems as long as they meet these system requirements, but it will raise the bar for updates via Windows Update.
For now, here are the absolute minimum system requirements to install Windows 11:
| System requirements for Windows 11 | |
|---|---|
| processor | 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system-on-a-chip (SoC) |
| R.A.M. | 4 gigabytes (GB) |
| storage | 64 GB or larger storage device |
| System firmware | UEFI, Secure Boot capable |
| TPM | Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 |
| graphic card | Compatible with DirectX 12 or higher with WDDM 2.0 driver |
| advertisement | High definition display (720p) with a diagonal of more than 9 inches, 8 bits per color channel |
| Internet connection and Microsoft account | Windows 11 Home Edition requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account |
| Current Windows version | Windows 10, version 2004 or higher |
If you want the official upgrade via Windows Update, you will still need an Intel 8th CPU. You will also need at least 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Microsoft offers some apps to help with compatibility and installation in case you can’t get the update through Windows Update. More on this in the next section.
also read: Windows 11 impressions
How to install Windows 11
Windows 11 is now being rolled out to eligible PCs worldwide through Windows Update. If your system meets the minimum requirements listed above, you can proceed with the update. There is a way to verify that your system is eligible for this upgrade just to be sure.
Your system must also have an activated Windows 10 license and be running Windows 10 (version 2004 or higher). You will also need 9 GB of free space to download the update.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to install Windows 11:
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
also read: 5 big changes in Windows 11
How to install Windows 11 on unsupported PCs with an ISO
This process actually consists of three steps. First you need to get a Windows 11 ISO, then you need to create a bootable USB drive, and finally you need to do the actual installation. We split the process up to make it easier.
Download the official Windows 11 ISO
- Visit the official Windows 11 ISO website.
- Under “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO),” click the “Select Download” drop-down menu and select Windows 11.
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Download a Windows 11 ISO with TPM bypass
Trusted Platform Module, also known as TPM, is one of the most important requirements Microsoft enforces for Windows 11. Older systems may require you to work around this, and there is now a way to do it using Windows 11 ISOs.
- Download AveYo’s Universal MediaCreationTool from Github. It’s a compressed zip file.
- Unzip the zip file. Run the MediaCreationTool BAT file in the extracted folder by double-clicking it. Windows will mark it as a potentially suspicious file, but click More Info, then click Run Anyway.
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
Related: Why did Microsoft choose Amazon over Google for Windows 11 Android support?
Create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive
Now that we have our ISO, we can create the bootable Windows 11 to install the operating system. You can do this by using the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool. Here are the steps.
- Download Rufus. Please choose the latest version.
- Click the “SELECT” button next to the “Boot Selection” label. Navigate to your saved Windows 11 ISO file and select it.
- Make sure that the label “Partition Scheme” says “GPT” and the label “Target system” says “UEFI (non CSM)”.
- Click the “Start” button, then click the “OK” button to confirm. Rufus finishes creating a bootable Windows 11 USB.
You can then use the bootable USB to install the update by opening the setup file from it or booting from the drive using the boot options if your computer starts while the drive is connected.
Since this is an unofficial solution, we recommend that you stick to Microsoft’s official methods for the best experience and avoid any problems. If you choose the other options, you do so at your own risk.
How to install Windows 11. Have fun with the new software from Microsoft!
